George Alagiah Wiki George Alagiah Biography
BBC news presenter George Alagiah has died at the age of 67 after being diagnosed with bowel cancer nine years ago, his agent has said.
One of the BBC’s best-known journalists, he presented BBC News on Six for two decades, having previously had a long career as a foreign correspondent. Alagiah died peacefully Monday morning “surrounded by his family and loved ones,” according to his agent, Mary Greenham. She said: “George fought to the bitter end, but sadly that battle ended today. George was deeply loved by all who knew him, whether a friend, colleague or member of the public. He was just a wonderful human being. My thoughts are with [his wife of his] Fran, the children and his family in general.” Alagiah was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2014, for which he underwent 17 rounds of chemotherapy before returning to the screen. He took breaks for further treatment as the cancer spread, but always aimed to return to the newsroom. Alagiah stepped away from broadcasting duties for the last time last October, saying that working in the BBC newsroom had “been a huge part of keeping up energy and motivation.” He told The Guardian in 2020 that he was happy with his life, despite the illness.
“Upon being diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2014, I built a pros and cons list of how my life has been going so far,” he said. “The things that had gone well far outweighed the others, bringing me to a place of complete satisfaction. “When you are closer to your last day, you live each one with an intensity that you could not have imagined before. Of course, I wish I never had this disease, but I’m not sure I’ll give these six years back. With friends, family and colleagues I have shared experiences and thoughts that we would not have had otherwise. Alagiah was born into a Tamil family in Colombo, Ceylon, now Sri Lanka. His parents moved to Ghana and then England when he was 11, where he would study politics at Durham University. He said he was grateful to have been turned down by the BBC for a job when he first tried to join the station. “[They] turned me down three times early in my career, and I’m grateful,” he said. “If I had joined then, I would have entered a very white world, dominated by people of a certain class and set of institutions.
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George Alagiah Age
George Alagiah was 67 years old.
BBC journalist George Alagiah passes away after losing battle with cancer
“Getting a job at South magazine [where he was the Africa editor] informed me about how I report on international affairs to this day. The globe looks different depending on where you are standing.” After seven years in print journalism, he joined the BBC in 1989, initially working in London before a career as a correspondent in countries including South Africa, genocide-era Rwanda, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia. Alagiah went on to run news programs for the corporation, including One O’Clock News and Six O’Clock News, and coverage of events, including Hurricane Katrina. He was also a regular as a BBC specialist on African politics, interviewing the likes of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. Alagiah received an OBE in 2008 for his services to journalism. He was the author of two nonfiction books. In 2019, he wrote a novel, The Burning Land, set in South Africa. In 2020, he said the cancer had spread to his lungs, liver, and lymph nodes. In late 2022, it was announced that he would step down from his presenting duties after further spread of the disease from him.
BBC Director General Tim Davie said: “At the BBC we are all incredibly saddened to hear the news about George. We are thinking of his family at this time. George was one of the best and bravest journalists of his generation who fearlessly reported from around the world and presented the news flawlessly. “He was more than a prominent journalist, the public could feel his kindness, empathy and wonderful humanity from him. He was loved by all and will be greatly missed.” Fellow newsreader Fiona Bruce paid tribute to Alagiah. She said: “George was something of a rarity – a top-notch journalist and a delightful human being in every way. Integrity and decency shone through him. That and a mischievous sense of humor with an endearing giggle. “I remember his 60th birthday party, surrounded by his wonderful family and his glamorous sisters like so many birds of paradise. It was an intimate family affair and I know George counted his blessings to be there with the people he loved so much. He “he Fought with everything he had to stay with them as long as he could. We love him in the newsroom and we, I, miss him dearly.” Alagiah is survived by his wife, Frances, and his children, Adam and Matthew.
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